Introduction

On December 23, 2007, my daughter was born.  During her birth, she became stuck andultimately was injured.  Shesuffered from a right- sided obstetrical brachial plexus injury (ROBPI) alsoknown as Erby’s palsy.  It is alsocalled a shoulder dystocia during delivery.  

The injury stretched the nerves from her spine at c5 andc6.  Many people who suffer fromthis type of injury recover normal movement.  Indeed many children who at birth show signs of a brachialplexus injury ultimately recover within a month. Hera did not recover.  A recovery is judged (at least in myunderstanding) as spontaneous movement of the affected arm and the extent of the movement.  During the time while the individual isunable to move their arm, the nerves are healing.  It is extremely slow process. 

When my daughter did regain movement she was around 4 months old.  She had range of motion but also had the distinct waiters tip. Before her surgery when she was 2 1/2 years old, Hera was unable to reach her arm at 90 degrees out in front. She could not supinate her hand or reach her arm out to the side in any significant way.  During that time she participated in physical therapy and occupational therapy.  

One of the most difficult things for Hera was balance.  Without the aid of her right arm, she learned to walk at around 16 months.  Once she could walk, she often fell to her right side.  I recall her walking down the sidewalk near our home and as she began to fall she moved her head out as if she were trying somehow to catch herself with the right side of her body but the only effective movement she could make was with her head.